Plex and Roku 3 playback problems lately

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weelzSA

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As it says in the title, I have been using Plex and Roku for a very long time now and have up until now had no problems at all. I run Plex Media Server on a HP Micro Server with 6GB RAM and HPMS and Roku 3 both connected to router via LAN Cable.

However recently, whenever I watch a movie, the movie will play but then will keep stopping with the blue loading screen and then plays again and this continues throughout the movie. It doesn't happen with the series I watch tho.

I have tried changing the settings to Direct Play which then allows the movie to play perfect but there is no sound. If I watch the same movie through XBMC on my HP Micro Server (same one as Plex Media Server is installed on) connected via HDMI, everything works perfectly.

Has anyone got any other tips? Not sure why this has started happening all of a sudden?

On a side note - does it make a difference if you have the quality set to 8mbs 1080p or 3mbs 720p? Will that make a 1080p movie file play at 720p if set to 3mbs 720p?
 
AfricanTech said:
How absolutely strange!

I've been having the exact same issue with Apple TV and Plex lately.

Driving me crazy
Click to expand...

I know what you mean. All TV shows and series work flawlessly but the second I try play a movie the problems start. Have tried everything I can think of but nothing...
 
weelzSA said:
As it says in the title, I have been using Plex and Roku for a very long time now and have up until now had no problems at all. I run Plex Media Server on a HP Micro Server with 6GB RAM and HPMS and Roku 3 both connected to router via LAN Cable.

However recently, whenever I watch a movie, the movie will play but then will keep stopping with the blue loading screen and then plays again and this continues throughout the movie. It doesn't happen with the series I watch tho.

I have tried changing the settings to Direct Play which then allows the movie to play perfect but there is no sound. If I watch the same movie through XBMC on my HP Micro Server (same one as Plex Media Server is installed on) connected via HDMI, everything works perfectly.

Has anyone got any other tips? Not sure why this has started happening all of a sudden?

On a side note - does it make a difference if you have the quality set to 8mbs 1080p or 3mbs 720p? Will that make a 1080p movie file play at 720p if set to 3mbs 720p?
Click to expand...


Your problem definitely sounds like transcoding as at fault which means "lately" doesn't mean anything changed with your server but probably than the movie files have improved in quality and the Microserver is struggling to handle it.

The Microservers apart from the very latest ones don't actually qualify for the minimum specification for 1080P transcoding...especially not when running on Linux and that's where your problem comes in.

Putting the quality down to 720P should definitely help but could still lock up the CPU if the file in question is of a very high bitrate.


The reason it works fine on XBMC on the same box is because there is no transcoding. Your video card is probably doing all the work instead of the Microserver's processors.


Direct Play means there is no transcoding and therefore the Microserver isn't really working very hard to get the movie to your TV. However the fact that you don't have audio when doing this is a little bit strange, so you might want to have a look at the advanced audio options on the PMS.

I've recently rebuilt my Microserver (which is the oldest N36L) and going to Ubuntu Server with the most minimalist install you can imagine has made the world of difference in freeing up some CPU but it's still not nearly enough to pump serious quality through.

What kind of file size are these movies?
 
Last edited:
SauRoNZA said:
Your problem definitely sounds like transcoding as at fault which means "lately" doesn't mean anything changed with your server but probably than the movie files have improved in quality and the Microserver is struggling to handle it.

The Microservers apart from the very latest ones don't actually qualify for the minimum specification for 1080P transcoding...especially not when running on Linux and that's where your problem comes in.

Putting the quality down to 720P should definitely help but could still lock up the CPU if the file in question is of a very high bitrate.


The reason it works fine on XBMC on the same box is because there is no transcoding. Your video card is probably doing all the work instead of the Microserver's processors.


Direct Play means there is no transcoding and therefore the Microserver isn't really working very hard to get the movie to your TV. However the fact that you don't have audio when doing this is a little bit strange, so you might want to have a look at the advanced audio options on the PMS.

I've recently rebuilt my Microserver (which is the oldest N36L) and going to Ubuntu Server with the most minimalist install you can imagine has made the world of difference in freeing up some CPU but it's still not nearly enough to pump serious quality through.

What kind of file size are these movies?
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply.

I would say 99% of my movies are downloaded from YIFY and that hasn't changed in years so doubt that is my problem.

My HPMS is the N40L running Windows 7 with 6GB Ram and a Graphics Card. Will have a look in the settings under Plex media Server settings and see if there is something there I can change.

I have been running this setup with the Roku 3 for over a year now and all movies have never had any issues - even when playing 3D movie files - they all worked but as I mentioned lately not anymore.
 
I'm on the N36L still and it has a very hard time about this kind of thing.

Are you on the latest version of PMS? I can't access my server settings from here but will have a look tonight if I remember.

I always assumed the Plex app on Roku was like Home Theatre and supported direct play without transcoding.
 
Hmm.. Will have to check if this is happening on my end.
Everybody else uses the Roku and my micro-server hasn't had any issues other than switching off randomly.

Version of PMS?
 
I have the same problem from time to time although it does the same to some of my series. Plex and Roku 3 here.
 
Seems I might have spoken too soon. Apparently this has happened once or twice during a movie in the past 2 weeks so I'll look into it myself sometime today.
Noticed though that PMS has auto-updated to some new version. Assuming this might have caused the change in how it transcodes content.

Funny thing is Samsung TV's and Plex on Windows RT, iPad and all the rest work fine. Might be the Roku :confused:
 
Play a movie and then take a screenshot of the CPU usage (task manager). Sounds like the server is struggling.
 
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